Power actuated loader



NOV. 1965 E. B. LONG POWER ACTUATED LOADER Filed Oct. 2', 1964 INVENTOR ELTON 8. LONG A 7'7'ORNEV United States Patent 3,216,597 PQWER ACTUATED LOADER Elton 3. Long, Burlington, Iowa, assignor to J. I. Case Company, Racine, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Oct. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 401,201 13 (Ilaims. (Cl. 214-140) This invention relates to a power actuated loader of the type which picks up and dumps material, and with the loader being mounted on a power means such as a tractor.

Loaders having buckets pivotally mounted on supporting booms which in turn are mounted on tractors, are wellknown in the material handling art. These loaders have their booms power actuated by hydraulic cylinders, and the buckets in turn are also commonly actuated by hydraulic cylinders. The concern and problem in this particular art is to have the bucket maintained level in its maneuver of lifting material, so that of course the material will not spill from the bucket as the supporting boom is pivoted upwardly. It is also of concern to have the bucket control cylinder powerful in its function of initially pivoting the bucket into its lifting position and breaking through the material which is being worked upon, and also the bucket control cylinder is preferably arranged so that it will provide a fast motion in the dumping maneuver of the bucket. Still further, it is significant that the support and control of the bucket be arranged with a minimum of parts and a minimum of strain on the parts that are utilized.

Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide an improved mounting and arrangement for a loader of the type mentioned for control of the loader bucket.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a control of a power type such as a hydraulic cylinder, for a loader bucket wherein the bucket will have a powerful breakout motion with respect to the material being handled, and it will also have a fast dumping motion.

Still another specific object of this invention is to accomplish the aforementioned objects and achieve the advantages referred to with a minimum of parts and a minimum of pivot points for the parts utilized in the mountings and connections of the parts.

Still another specific object of this invention is to provide a loader bucket m'th a self-leveling feature which does not require an additional slave-type cylinder for effecting the leveling of the bucket in the lifting maneuver of the material in the bucket.

Still another specific object of this invention is to provide a power means for pivoting a bucket on a loader without arranging any parts in positions which would place bending or twisting loads on the parts employed, such as the linkage connections.

Other objects and advantages become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of this invention, and the view shows a part of a tractor in dotted lines.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. l with a fragment thereof broken away, and with the view being on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and with parts thereof broken away.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but showing another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and having parts thereof broken away.

A tractor designated is shown in dotted lines and it has a support or frame 11 fixed therewith. A boom 12 is ice pivoted to the frame on the pivot member designated 13 for instance, and the boom 12 extends forwardly of the tractor to a bucket 14 as shown. A bucket 14 is pivotally mounted on the front end of the boom 12 by means of a. pivot mounting designated 16. It will therefore be understood that the boom 12 is pivotal in an up and down plane on the tractor 10, and also the bucket 14 is pivotal up and down on the boom 12 as the bucket pivots about the pivot member 16.

A hydraulic cylinder unit designated 17 is pivotally mounted on the tractor frame 11 by means of pivot member designated 18. Hydraulic lines 19 are fragmentarily shown and are connected to the opposite ends of the cylinder 17 for the double-acting motion of the cylinder 17 as hereinafter described. The cylinder unit 17 has an extension member designated 21 which is rigidly connected to the cylinder designated 22 on the unit 17. Thus any motion of the cylinder 22 about the pivot member 18 will induce identical motion in the extension 21 as the extension 21 and the cylinder 22 remain in the fixed relationship shown in FIG. 1.

The cylinder unit 17 is pivotally connected to the boom 12 through the pivot member 23 extending between the cylinder unit 17 and a plate 24 rigid with the boom 12. Thus the extension and contraction of the cylinder unit 17 causes the displacement of the pivot member 23 and the raising and lowering of the boom 12 in the well-known manner of employing a hydraulic cylinder for the lifting purpose described. The hydraulic cylinder unit 17 thus has its piston rod 26 serving as the direct connection to the mounting member 18 on the tractor 10. Thus the cylinder 22 will actually be displaced away from and toward the pivot connector 18- as the piston rod 26 of course remains fixed with respect to the pivot member 18.

FIG. 2 shows that there are two extensions 21, with one on each side of the mounting described, and thus one is on each side of the boom 12 as also indicated in FIG. 5 for instance. A mounting member 27 is adjustably and in fact pivotally mounted on the extension 21 by means of the pivot member 28. The mounting member 27 is shown to be a trunnion-type member having the two trunnions 28 on opposite ends thereof and extending through the two plates 21, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. Thus the mounting member 27 is pivotally mounted on the extension 21 to be oriented with respect to the bucket 14 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The member 21 supports a second hydraulic unit generally designated 29, and this unit is rigidly attached to the mounting member 27 by welding or any conventional means. Thus the hydraulic unit 29 is so oriented with respect to the bucket 14 such that the axis of the unit 29 is directed in line with the bucket 14 as shown.

The unit 29 of course includes the hydraulic cylinder 31 and its piston rod 32 and its piston 33, all as shown in FIG. 2. Also, hydraulic lines or hoses 34 are connected to the cylinder 31 for the well-known double action of the unit 29. Two links 36 are connected between the cylinder unit 29 and the bucket 14 by the connecting pins 37 and 38 respectively. Thus the pin 37 extends between the links 36 and through the enlarged end 39 of the piston rod 32 to make that connection. The pin 38 extends between the two links 36 and it extends through a plate 41 rigid with the bucket 14, and thus the connections at the two ends of the pair of links 36 are both pivotal. It will also be noted that the links 36 extend through slots 42 in the mounting member 27, and the links 36 are of course slidable but guided in the mounting member 27. It will now therefore be understood that extension, for instance, of the cylinder unit 29 will cause the rod 32 to move away from the bucket 14 and carry the links 36 in a line directed away from 3 the bucket 14. This will cause the bucket 14 to pivot upwardly about the pivot member 16.

In this arrangement, it will now be seen in connection with FIG. 2 that when the cylinder unit 29 is extended, the larger face of the piston 33 is presented to the pressurized hydraulic fluid, and this larger face of course creates a larger force on the rod 32 and consequently on the links 36 to create a powerful pivoting force on the bucket 14 for the desired powerful breakout of the bucket 14 with respect to the material being picked up. Conversely, when the boom 12 has been raised and it is desired to dump the bucket 14, then hydraulic fluid on the face of the piston 33 adjacent the rod 32 will cause a fast retraction of the rod 32 into the cylinder 31 since this exposed face of the piston 33 is smaller than the opposite face. This therefore presents the desired powerful lifting in the extension of the unit 29, and it also presents the fast dumping motion in the retraction of the piston 32 with respect to the cylinder 31.

Further, in this arrangement, since the links 36 are on the same plane as the axi of the cylinder unit 29, there is no bending on the piston rod 32 or any other part of the cylinder unit 29, nor is there any bending on the links 36. There is simply tension and compression forces on the links 36 but no undesirable bending forces. Of course the trunnions 28 maintain the cylinder unit 29 and the links 36 oriented with respect to the bucket and particularly the pivot member 38 connecting the links 36 to the bucket 14.

Still another desirable feature is that the distance between the pivots 23 and 28 is significant, and the support 21 is pivotal upon the boom 12, so upon raising of the boom 12, the pivot 28 is displaced toward the bucket, and the pivot 38 is to the same side of the pivot 16 as the pivot 28 is to the pivot 23. This is therefore a selfleveling feature which is of a mechanical nature and does not require an additional hydraulic cylinder, nor does it require elaborate and additional linkages for selfleveling.

FIGS. 4 and show the other embodiment of the invention, and this embodiment is different from the first one described in that there is no self-leveling feature shown, and only one link is shown to extend from the bucket lifting cylinder to the bucket. Thus FIG. 4 shows the boom 12 with the plate 43 rigidly attached to the boom 12 to present the opening 44 for connection by a lifting cylinder such as the cylinder unit 17 in FIG. 1. The bucket 14 is pivotally attached to the end of the boom by the connector 16.

A plate 46 is rigidly attached to the boom 12 to provide a support for the mounting member 47 which has the two trunnions 48, shown in FIG. 5 which render the support member 47 pivotal on the two plates 46. A hydraulic cylinder unit 49 is rigidly attached to the mounting member 47 by welding or the like, and thus the axis of the cylinder unit 49 is in line with the bucket 14 as shown. The cylinder 51 of the unit 49 is the portion that is attached to the mounting member 47 and the piston rod 52 is movable into and out of the cylinder 51 and this carries a link 53 which is connected between the rod 52 and the bucket 14. Thus a pivotal connector 54 and a pivotal connector 56 are located at the ends of the single link 53 for the cylinder and bucket connections mentioned. The link 53 extends through a slot 57 in the mounting member 47 and is thus guided by the member 47 and of course is slidable in the slot 57.

In this manner, only one link 53 is utilized in the connection between the cylinder unit and the bucket. The link 53 is of course restrained and guided in the slot 57 and thus the arrangement and connection of the link 53 between the cylinder unit and the bucket is possible without of course binding and damaging bending forces acting on the parts described. This arrangement is therefore different from the other embodiment where the links 36 are on the common plane with the piston rod 32, and there is therefore no bending force in the arrangement of the parts and the forces acting thereon. Of course the FIG. 4 embodiment does have the advantage of the powerful initial lifting or breakout of the bucket 14, and it also has the advantage of the fast dumping of the bucket 14 since the cylinder unit 49 is oriented the same as the orientation of the unit 29 in FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 1 and the self-leveling advantage mentioned, it will therefore be understood and noted that upon raising the boom 12 the pivot connector 23 pivots about a pivot connector 13. Of course the hydraulic unit 17 extends and remains anchored at 18, and the plate 21 is raised along with the raising of the boom 12. Since the pivot connector or trunnions 28 are disposed above the level of the connector 23, the trunnions 28 move forwardly with respect to the tractor, or to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, and this therefore displaces the entire mounting member 27 and the hydraulic unit 29 and thus the pivot 38 about the bucket pivot 16 to maintain the bucket level as desired. This can be readily understood by considering the entire system to initially be pivoting about the pivot connector 13, including the hydraulic 17 and its connector 18. Then whenit is considered that the entire unit again is considered to be pivoted clockwise about the new position of the connector 23, to where the axis of the unit 17 again aligns with the pivot connector 18, then the pivot connector 28 is moved to the right as mentioned.

While two embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it would be obvious that certain changes could be made in the invention and the scope of the patent should be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a loader of the type having a boom movable up and down and a bucket supported on the boom for movement between a pickup position, and a dumping position, a mounting member adjustably supported on said boom, a hydraulic cylinder unit fixedly supported on said mounting member and oriented for extension and contraction toward and away from said bucket, and connecting means connected between said hydraulic cylinder unit and said bucket and being guidably mounted on said mounting member for transmitting the force from said hydraulic cylinder unit to said bucket.

2. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket supported on one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions, a first hydraulic cylinder unit pivotally attached to an intermediate portion of said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, an extension on said first unit and being rigid therewith and extending in a direction of pivotal movement of said boom, a pivotal mounting member pivotally mounted on the extending portion of said extension on a pivot axis parallel to and spaced in one direction from the pivotal axis of said first unit with said boom, a second hydraulic cylinder unit fixedly mounted on said mounting member with the axis of said second unit oriented toward said bucket and with the piston rod of said second unit I extending away from said bucket, and a link connected between said piston rod and said bucket and extending through said mounting member to be slidably piloted by the latter and with the connection of said link to said bucket being spaced from the connection of said boom and said bucket in the same direction as said one direction for self-leveling of said bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of said boom.

3. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket supported on one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions, a first hydraulic cylinder unit pivotally attached to an intermediate portion of said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, an extension on said first unit and being rigid therewith and extending in a direction of pivotal movement of said boom, a pivotal mounting member pivotally mounted on the extending portion of said extension on a pivot axis parallel to and spaced from the pivotal axis of said first unit with said boom, and a second hydraulic cylinder unit rigidly mounted on said mounting member and operatively connected to said bucket at a location spaced from the connection of said boom and said bucket for self-leveling of said bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of said boom.

4. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket supported on one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions and with the pickup being powerful and the lumping being fast, a first hydraulic cylinder unit pivotally attached to an intermediate portion of said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, an extension on said first unit and being rigid therewith and extending beyond the pivotal connection with said boom in a direction of pivotal movement of said boom, a pivotal mounting member pivotally mounted on said extension on a pivot axis parallel to and spaced from the pivotal connection of said first unit with said boom, a second hydraulic cylinder unit rigidly mounted on said mounting member with the axis of said second unit oriented toward said bucket and with the piston rod of said second unit extending away from said bucket, and a link connected between said piston rod and said bucket and with the connection of said link to said bucket being spaced from the connection of said boom and said bucket at a position relative to spacing of said pivot axis of said pivotal mounting from the pivotal connection of said first unit with said boom for self-leveling of said bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of said boom.

5. In a loader of the type having a boom movable up and down and a bucket supported on the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and arranged to have a powerful pickup motion and a faster dumping motion, a mounting member movably supported on said boom for remaining oriented with said bucket, a hydraulic cylinder unit rigidly supported on said mounting member and oriented for extension away from and contraction toward said bucket, and connecting means connected between said hydraulic cylinder unit and said bucket for transmitting the extension and contraction movements from said hydraulic cylinder unit to said bucket.

6, In a loader of the type having a boom movable up and down and a bucket supported on the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being arranged to eiiect a powerful initial pickup of said bucket and a fast dumping thereof, a mounting member pivotally supported on said boom, a hydraulic cylinder fixedly supported on said mounting member, a piston rod extending out of said cylinder in a direction away from said bucket and being movable toward and away from said bucket, and connecting means connected between said piston rod and said bucket and being guidably mounted on said mounting member for transmitting the movements of said piston rod to said bucket.

7. In a loader of the type having a boom movable up and down and a bucket supported on the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and arranged to have a powerful pickup motion and a faster dumping motion, a mounting member pivotally supported on said boom to adjust to a continuous orientation toward said bucket, a hydraulic cylinder unit fixedly supported on said mounting member and oriented for extension away from said bucket and contraction toward said bucket, and a connecting link on each side of said hydraulic cylinder unit on one plane through the axis of said hydraulic cylinder unit and being connected between said hydraulic cylinder unit and said bucket and being movably mounted on said mounting member for transmitting the extension and contraction movements from said hydraulic cylinder unit to said bucket.

8. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket pivotally mounted on one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions and having a powerful initial pickup motion and a faster dumping motion, a first hydraulic cylinder unit disposed below said boom and being pivotally attached to said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, an extension on said first unit and being rigid therewith and extending upwardly above the level of the pivotal attachment of said first unit to said boom, a pivotal mount ng member pivotally mounted on the upwardly extending portion of said extension and having a pivot axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said first unit with said boom, a second hydraulic cylinder unit fixedly mounted on said mounting member with the axis of said second unit oriented toward said bucket and with the piston rod of said second unit extending out of the cylinder of said second unit in a direction away from said bucket, and link means pivotally connected between said piston rod and said bucket and extending through said mounting member to be slidably piloted by the latter and being pivotally connected to said bucket at a level above the level of the pivotal connection of said bucket to said boom for selfleveling ofsaid bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of said boom.

9. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket supported on one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions, a first hydraulic cylinder unit disposed below and being pivotally attached to an intermediate portion of said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, an extension on said first unit and being rigid therewith and extending upwardly from the pivotal connection of said first unit on said boom, a pivotal mounting member pivotally mounted on the upwardly extending portion of said extension on a pivot axis parallel to and spaced on a level above the pivotal axis of said first unit with said boom, a second hydraulic cylinder unit fixedly mounted on said mounting member with the axis of said second unit oriented toward said bucket and with the piston rod of said second unit extending away from said bucket, and a link on each side of said second unit on a common plane with the axis of said second unit and being connected between said piston rod and said bucket and extending through said mounting member to be slidably piloted by the latter and with the connection of said link to said bucket being spaced above the level of the connection of said boom and said bucket for selfleveling of said bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of said boom.

10. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket supported on one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions, a first hydraulic cylinder unit disposed below said boom and pivotally attached to said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, a support pivotal on said boom in response to the pivotal movement of said boom, a pivotal mounting member pivotally mounted on said support on a pivot axis parallel to and spaced therefrom at a level above the pivotal axis of said support with said boom, and a second hydraulic cylinder unit rigidly mounted on said mounting member and operatively connected to said bucket at a location spaced at a level above the connection of said boom and said bucket for self-leveling of said bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of said boom.

11. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket supported on one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions, a first hydraulic cylinder unit disposed below said boom and pivotally attached to said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, a support pivotal on said boom in response to the pivotal movement of said boom, a pivotal mounting member pivotally mounted on said support on a pivot axis parallel to and spaced therefrom at a level above the pivotal axis of said support with said boom, a second hydraulic cylinder unit rigidly mounted on said mounting member and oriented in line with said bucket and including a piston rod oriented to be extendable away from said bucket, and a link on each side of said second unit and slidably extending through said mounting member and being connected between said piston rod and said bucket at a location spaced at a level above the connection of said boom and said bucket for self-leveling of said bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of said boom.

12. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket supported On one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions, a first hydraulic cylinder unit pivotally attached to said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, a support pivotal on said boom and extending in a direction of and being pivotal in response to the pivotal movement of said boom, a pivotal mounting member pivotally mounted on said support on a pivot axis parallel to and elevationally spaced from the pivotal axis of said support with said boom, and a second hydraulic cylinder unit rigidly mounted on said mounting member and operatively connected to said bucket at a location spaced from the connection of said boom and said bucket in the same elevational direction as the pivot axis of said mounting memberwith respect to said pivot axis of said support for self-leveling of said bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of the said boom.

13. In a loader of the type having a boom pivotal up and down and a bucket supported on one end of the boom for movement between a pickup position and a dumping position and being self-leveling between said positions, a first hydraulic cylinder unit pivotally attached to said boom for pivoting the latter up and down, a support pivotal on said boom and extending in a direction of and being pivotal in response to the pivotal movement of said boom, a pivotal mounting member pivotally mounted on said support on a pivot axis parallel to and elevationally spaced from the pivotal axis of said support with said boom, a second hydraulic cylinder unit rigidly mounted on said mounting member and oriented in line with said bucket and including a piston rod oriented to be extendable away from said bucket, and a link on each side of said second unit and slidably extending through said mounting member and being connected between said piston rod and said bucket at a location spaced from the connection of said boom and said bucket in the same elevational direction as the pivot axis of said mounting member with respect to said pivot axis of said support for self-leveling of said bucket in the up and down pivotal movement of said boom.

No references cited.

HUGO o. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A LOADER OF THE TYPE HAVING A BOOM MOVABLE UP AND DOWN AND A BUCKET SUPPORTED ON THE BOOM FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A PICKUP POSITION, AND A DUMPING POSITION, A MOUNTING MEMBER ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID BOOM, A HYDRAULIC CYLINDER UNIT FIXEDLY SUPPORTED ON SAID MOUNTING MEMBER AND ORIENTED FOR EXTENSION AND CONTRACTION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID BUCKET, AND CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER UNIT AND SAID BUCKET AND BEING GUIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID MOUNTING MEMBER FOR TRANSMITTING THE FORCE FROM SAID HYDRAULIC CYLINDER UNIT TO SAID BUCKET. 